Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has an array of talent at his disposal, and often faces a selection headache when naming his starting XI.

But one man at City,Bernardo Silva, is currently the first name on the team sheet. This season the Portuguese has taken his form to a new level and is finally making the case to be the heir to fellow playmaker David Silva at the Ethiad.

With Silva aged 33, and not having time on his side, it is inevitable his illustrious career will come to an end soon.

But Manchester City fans won’t be fearing David Silva’s retirement, with his namesake Bernardo showing sublime ability and promise under the tutelage of Guardiola, potentially already solving the headache of hunting for a replacement.

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The 24-year-old has produced some dazzling performances this season and he has created 37 chances in home fixtures, more than any other team-mate.

Silva has also supplied nine ‘big chances’ which surpasses his three ‘big chances’ record from last season and incredibly, he’s done it in seven less appearances.

He also needs just one more goal, to add to his current five, to equal his Premier League contribution from last campaign and with nine more games to go, it would be surprising if Silva doesn’t beat last seasons tally.

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Bernardo has been deployed in the roles of wing-back, central midfield, winger and even false 9 this season and his versatility is a testament to his tactical understanding and ability.

Guardiola clearly trusts Bernardo to carry out his instructions and deliver top draw performances consistently, regardless of where he plays on the pitch, and this ensures his name is rarely not among City’s starting line-up.

Watford will fear City on their visit to the Ethiad, as Guardiola’s side have an outstanding record against the Hornets, scoring 11 goals in their last three Premier League meetings against Javi Garcia’s side.

Watford also head into the fixture recently conceding five goals to title rivals Liverpool in their previous away match. If Watford want a chance of securing any points from their trip up North, it will be vital they try to nullify City’s Portuguese magician.